The perfect one day Dubai itinerary for first-timers

Last Updated on October 27, 2025 by Ioana

I fell in love with Dubai. It has this energy that anything is possible and you can accomplish your wildest dreams. Plus, there are so many tourist attractions, delicious food, and friendly people. Dubai is a great place for a vacation. In this blog post I will share the perfect one day Dubai itinerary to help you plan your trip. This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Find out more here.

Take a guided tour of Old Dubai

A guided 3-hour tour of the old city is a great way to learn more about the history of Dubai and the UAE. You can book an early morning tour that starts around 9am.

That’s what I did and it was perfect. The tour started at an Arabian tea house and restaurant in the Al Fahidi Historical District.

​The start of the tour

​There you will go into a traditional Emirati room where you sit on the floor on cushions. The guide will teach you about the history of Dubai and UAE while you sip on Arabian coffee and eat dates. 

I loved Arabian coffee so much! It’s boiled with spices like cardamom, cloves and saffron, so it’s very aromatic. And it’s served in small cups. Even if you’re not a coffee drinker, make sure to take just one sip to taste those flavors.

After you enjoyed the coffee and dates they will also serve luqaimat, a traditional dessert. They are basically donut holes with date syrup and sesame seeds. They were delicious.

Walking tour

Then you’ll start the walking tour. We visited a coin museum to see the different coins and currencies they had throughout the years. Then we also went to a traditional Emirati house to see what the rooms look like.

And of course, throughout the tour we learned a lot about the architecture in this area of the world.

I loved the fact that after doing outdoor activities we would visit something inside to cool off in air conditioning. The tour was very well thought-out to make sure guests are as comfortable as possible despite the hot weather.

Abra ride and souks

Then we walked to the water and took an abra ride to cross the Dubai Creek. The abra is a traditional wooden boat. I loved the ride and wish it would have been longer.

On the other side of the Creek is where you can experience the traditional souk of Dubai. We first went to the spice souk where we went inside a store where you don’t need to haggle if you want to buy something. I loved that the tour thought about this aspect as well. 

There we learned a lot about spices and teas. We also smelled so many fresh spices. And they also served us with Arabian tea and a samosa. 

At the end we had time to buy spices, oil perfumes, and the famous original Dubai chocolate from Fix.

Then we had our final stop of the tour at the gold souk. They have over 400 stores that sell gold there. Our guide taught us how to negotiate the prices for gold and also showed us some of the best stores.

All gold there is real. And the prices are great compared to other countries. So if you want to buy some gold jewelry as a souvenir, the gold souk is the perfect spot.

I highly recommend this tour. It was really well-organized, the guide was amazing, and the ticket prices were very affordable.

👉 Click here to book this tour

See Dubai from above at the Sky Views observation deck

The Dubai skyline is gorgeous. So if you like to see a city from above, you must go to the SkyViews observation deck. This observation deck is about a 10 minute walk from Dubai Mall.

There is an indoor air conditioned tunnel that links Dubai Mall to Sky Views, so it’s very easy to go to Dubai Mall after.

My experience at the Sky Views observation deck

The observation deck is 360, but it’s indoors. Which is a great idea considering the temperatures in Dubai. You will take an elevator to the 53rd floor. there you can look at the views with all the high-rise buildings and artificial islands.

And then the coolest thing is that you can go down a glass slide from the 53rd to the 52nd floor. You have to sit on a special mat that slides easily. 

It might sounds scary, but the mat is made in such a way that your speed is never too high. I loved the experience and I thought it was really fun!

Make sure you watch the view outside as you slide down. It’s gorgeous. You can only go down the slide once. I wish they let you buy additional passes because I would have done it again.

There will be a queue for the slide, but it moves fast. I think I only waited about 10 minutes for my turn, so not too bad.

Then on the 52nd floor it’s a 360 observation deck where you can take pictures with the view. If you take pictures at the first few windows as you enter the room you will be able to have Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, in your background.

You can also walk on a glass floor here. And of course, you can sit down on the glass floor to take some cool pictures.

Tickets for SkyViews

You can buy tickets for Sky Views online in advance of your trip or at their ticket booth. If you visit during peak season, I encourage you to buy your tickets in advance since it’s a very popular tourist destination and it might be sold out on the day you plan on going.

👉Click here to book your Sky Views tickets

​I got my tickets through the hotel I stayed at, Rove Downtown. When I booked my hotel stay, they had a promotion which included free tickets to Sky Views. So make sure to check what promotions hotels offer when you plan on visiting.

Watch the Dubai fountain show

The Dubai fountain is right by Dubai Mall. It has incredible shows where the water dances with music. They have day time fountain shows at 1pm and 1:30pm, and nigh time shows every 30 minutes from 6pm to 11pm.

The show lasts 5 minutes and it’s very cool. I saw the similar fountain show in Kuala Lumpur and I have to say the Dubai one is much more impressive. 

Have lunch at Dubai Mall

Dubai Mall is the largest mall in Dubai. There are so many shops and restaurants there. You could easily spend a full day there.

But since this is a one day itinerary, I think a quick lunch stop is enough. There are plenty of restaurants at Dubai Mall with outdoor seating with Dubai fountain views.

So you could time your lunch to catch the fountain show from one of these restaurants. 

I ate at Social House and it was great. Service was top notch, the food was delicious, and I got seated outside so I can enjoy the fountain show.

I ordered the mezze platter with extra grilled chicken and a karak tea. I recommend them both. They were delicious!

Go on a desert safari

The desert safari was my favorite activity in Dubai. There are plenty of safaris to pick from, both during the morning and in the afternoon.

I picked this afternoon safari because I wanted to catch the sunset in the desert. And I’m so glad I picked this time. Because that sunset was magical!

The guide picked me up from my hotel around 3:45pm in a 4×4 car. There were 5 other people in the car (a family) and myself. Because they say together in the back, I rode shotgun, which was amazing. Get the shotgun seat if you can and thank me later.

We drove to the meeting point where we waited for other cars to get there since you have to drive in groups of 5-7 cars. At this meeting point there was free water and juices. Restrooms were also available. And you could also buy a head scarf so you can use it for pictures in the desert.

I bought one since it was only 50 dirhams (about 10 euros). The store employee tied it on my head. And I loved that look for pictures.

​Dune bashing and desert camp

Once all cars got there we drove through the sand dunes. Dune bashing was one of the top 3 experiences of my life. It felt like you were floating and then sometimes you were shaken up.

I thought it would be a more aggressive feeling, but it was not. I loved it and I can’t wait to do it again next time I’m in Dubai.

Then we stopped in the middle of the desert and took pictures with the sunset in the background. Some people also did sandboarding.

After this we drove to a desert camp. There we rode camels, did some star gazing, the women got a henna tattoo, we took pictures with a falcon, and had the most delicious dinner. I still dream about that food. 

They brought us so many dishes. Probably around 15. And we couldn’t even finish them all. The dinner is family style and you share the food with the people in your car.

After dinner we drove back to the city and were dropped off at our hotels in the city center.

Practical tip: make sure you wear sneakers since it will be easier to walk through the dunes. Even with closed toe shoes you will get sand both in your shoes and in your socks. So either don’t wear your favorite pair or reserve some time to clean your shoes once you get back to the hotel.

👉Click here to book your desert safari tickets

FAQs about Dubai

Is Dubai safe for solo female travelers?

Yes! Dubai is probably the safest destination I’ve visited solo. You can wear fancy clothes and jewelry, you can use your phone outside at all times, you can even leave a designer bag anywhere in Dubai and nobody will touch it. It’s that safe.

At the same time, you can walk alone as a woman at night with no problems. Literally no man will come bother you. It’s amazing.

For me, it was the first destination where I didn’t have to be on high alert at all during my trip. I just knew that I’m safe at all times.

How strict is the dress code in Dubai for women?

It’s not strict for tourists. I personally only wore tank tops while in Dubai because the weather was so hot. And nobody had any problem with me doing that.

The locals do dress in modest clothing, so they appreciate it when tourists respect their way of living while in their country. So other than wearing a tank top I made sure to always wear long, flowy pants. 

I did find Dubai way more liberal than what I pictured it to be. To be fair it’s probably the most liberal place in the Middle East. I visited Doha as well, and I could tell the difference between Doha and Dubai.

How can you get from Dubai International airport to Downtown Dubai?

The most convenient way to get to the city is to order an Uber or Careem (the local car app). You can also get a taxi from the airport, but cars ordered through apps tend to be slightly cheaper.

​You could also take the metro or the bus. But it will take a bit longer. And you’ll then have to walk from the metro or bus stop to your hotel, which might not be pleasant in hot weather and with luggage.

Alternatively you can also schedule a private transfer.

What is the best time for a trip to Dubai?

I think the best time to visit is November – March. The temperatures are milder during this period, usually below 30 degrees Celsius / 86 F.

I visited in late October and it was still hot during the day, especially if you are walking in the sun. Shaded areas were more tolerable. But going out after sunset is your best bet because the temperature drops a bit.

Make sure to avoid the summer months since temperatures can get up to 50+ degrees Celsius.

How to get cell phone data when visiting from abroad?

The cheapest and most convenient way to get data while visiting from abroad is to buy an eSIM.

An eSIM is a digital SIM that lets you activate a data plan from a provider without having to use a physical SIM card. They are super easy to use.

I use Airalo. You can go to their website, select the country you’re traveling to, select how many GB of data you want, and how many days you want the eSIM to be active for.

After you pay you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to activate the eSIM.

You can activate it on your phone and the process takes under 1 minute. Once the eSIM is activated you don’t have to do anything else. When you’re at your destination you will automatically get data.

IMPORTANT: You cannot buy an eSIM on United Arab Emirates soil. So you have to buy your eSIM before your trip and just turn it on once you land. In case you forget to buy an eSIM before your trip, you can get a free regular SIM card at the airport.

Do people speak English in Dubai?

Yes, people speak English in Dubai. It’s easy to communicate in English everywhere in Dubai, so there won’t be any language barrier.

​Tourism is their number one industry, so most people in Dubai speak English since they get a lot of visitors every year.

Do I need cash in Dubai?

I didn’t use cash at all when I visited, I paid for everything with credit cards. But it’s always recommended to carry some cash with you so you can tip tour guides.

Pro tip: always get cash from an ATM in the airport instead of going to an exchange place. Your bank will always have better exchange rates when taking out cash in a foreign currency from an ATM.

How many days do I need in Dubai?

I spent 3 days in Dubai and it was not enough. I would say you need 5 days to do everything in Dubai. And if you want to also visit Abu Dhabi (the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is supposed to be one of the most beautiful ones on the world) you should plan for a week.

How can I get around Dubai?

Dubai is not a very walkable city since attractions are quite far from one another. And it gets really hot, so you don’t want to walk too much in the sun anyway. 

I found Ubers and taxis to be very affordable, so that’s what I did during my trip to get around Dubai. In addition, they are really convenient.

Dubai also has a subway system, so you can also use this public transport option if you don’t want to use a car all the time. But keep in mind that you’ll still have to walk to/from the metro station in hot weather.

Do you recommend Dubai as a solo destination?

Not only that I recommend Dubai for a solo trip, but I think it’s one of the best places to travel to alone. It’s super safe. There are so many attractions to explore. The food scene is incredible. And despite the glitz and glam you see on social media or on TV shows, you can find places with very affordable prices.

I’m already planning a second Dubai trip because I loved it so much. Dubai is one of the destinations I will keep returning to.

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